'The curse of insomnia.' blog discussion

EmmaLee_3

Hi Martin,

Hope you have caught up properly with sleep now. I am new to this site but have seen you and heard you a few times lately with some great tips - thank you!

If you have never tried reflexology it can be great for helping with sleep and relaxing.

And if you don't already, keep a book & pen by your bed so you can write down whetever is in your head and then hopefully forget about it til the morning.

:rotfl:

Nile

I can recommend a foot massage, it always sends me to sleeep.:D

Remove your laptop, mobile phone, blackberry and any other techie gadgets from the bedroom.;)

Sleep with the window open and if the traffic/bird song noise disturbs you, wear ear plugs.:rolleyes:

I think I read somewhere that lettuce is soporific (helps you to sleep), so consider eating a sandwich (containing lettuce) or salad in the evening. Sleeping when you're feeling hungry is a bad idea anyway............so this could be a good solution.

Use a lavender spray on your pillow(s) and consider plugging in an ionizer in the bedroom.

Failing all that....................read an SP thread and you'll find yourself drifting off in no time.:o

cport80

I've suffered from insomnia for years but I've learned how to beat it without using any drugs and there are several ways you can do it.

Method1: Get up, make a hot drink and just sit down and do nothing other than drink it. It's surprising how effective just making 10 minutes to relax alone can be.

Method2: Try to think of everything you associate with sleeping. Whether it's four poster beds, hot water bottles or a sale at Dunelm . You get the idea. Thinking of things you associate with sleep usually gets me yawning.

Method3: A sense of achievement can also work wonders. Use the time to do something productive. Write a shopping list, solve a sudoku or crossword puzzle in the free local papers. Stick to something short which should take no more than 20 minutes and make sure it's easy enough to complete. You don't want to be kept awake trying to decrypt difficult clues after midnight.

Method4: Read something on a subject for which you have absolutely no interest but always said you would read someday when you bought it. I personally find any Java programming books fit into this category. It's surprising how easy you can sleep when the alternative is wakeful boredom.

Method5: Remove any distractions. If you find yourself focussing on the ticking sound of a clock then remove it from the bedroom. If it's the mains hum of an electric clock try putting a mouse-mat underneath it. If it's the power LED on a tv or radio get a timer switch to turn them off at midnight. If you are concerned by how late (or early) it's getting then turn your clock around so you can't see.

I'm sure I've used other methods over the last 20 years and I still keep a jar of Nytol by my bed just in case, but I haven't had to use them in quite a while and should probably check they're still in date. I hope these methods can help someone else as they have helped me. Insomnia really is a waste of the next days energy.

cport80

Oops a double post. Mustn't be quite awake yet

boredofbeingathome

I am terrible with insomnia..last night i think i had about 3 hours sleep if that!
I have tried all of the above and have given up caffeine, in all forms..i think i just have to accept it now..my brain is always whirring anyway, and weirdly i think i get my best ideas at night...

Usually about once every 6 months or so..i will find i am tired and sleep the night through ..then it is back to the normal routine.

SieWhange

Hi,i read your topic.Of course there are loads of old wives tales out there giving advice on how to get to sleep. Apparently, counting backwards from 300 is the best solution.Try to think of everything you associate with sleeping. I still keep a jar of Nytol
Thanks..
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